Advice wanted!!

[Anne02]

I've never actually done it, but my understanding is that chicks can only be grafted onto a broody when when they are very young -- only a few days old --and that part of that is that after a certain time the chicks will have no interest in a hen because the heat lamp or brooder plate is the mother they know.

Thanks for your input!

I can tell you that's broody.

But the chicks could get hurt, it's your choice if you want to risk it.

Also hi Anne! haven't seen you in a while.

Hey! I’ve been trying to limit the amount of time I spend on screens recently. I actually tried giving them to her. But she seemed to get kind of scared after 15-20 minutes and ran away.

It will not work. Chicks are entirely too old, and when fostering chicks the closer the hen is to 21 days of setting the greater the chance of success.

It almost worked, but she ran off after a few minutes.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Thanks for your input!

Hey! I’ve been trying to limit the amount of time I spend on screens recently. I actually tried giving them to her. But she seemed to get kind of scared after 15-20 minutes and ran away.

It almost worked, but she ran off after a few minutes.

Sorry it didn't work, but i think they were too old. At least you tried! Hey wanna see my mumma and babies ?

 

[Anne02]

Sorry it didn't work, but i think they were too old. At least you tried! Hey wanna see my mumma and babies ?

Uh, yes I want to see them!!

 

[SulkyBantam]

Uh, yes I want to see them!!

Now THERE's a good mamma. And proof taking risks CAN be fun!

 

[Anne02]

View attachment 2571341View attachment 2571343
Now THERE's a good mamma. And proof taking risks CAN be fun!

Aw, so sweet!

 

[SulkyBantam]

Aw, so sweet!

thanks. that was at 3 days and they're 3 WEEKs now! I should take more pics.

Sometimes trusting a broody can be a good thing. This was A) in the middle of winter and B) she'd never hatched before. Now I'm glad I trusted her!

 

[Anne02]

thanks. that was at 3 days and they're 3 WEEKs now! I should take more pics.

Sometimes trusting a broody can be a good thing. This was A) in the middle of winter and B) she'd never hatched before. Now I'm glad I trusted her!

Yeah, we had one broody before, last summer. And actually, this girl that was almost-broody was hatched by her.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Yeah, we had one broody before, last summer. And actually, this girl that was almost-broody was hatched by her.

Oh nice! Well, good luck next time.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She hasn’t been laying. And she flattens herself on the nest, growls, and has plucked a spot on her chest. Aren’t those all signs of being broody? And in any case, I tried putting the chicks with her. It worked for a little while. She gave them a few curious pecks, then settled in. I had put her in a dog crate, and after about fifteen minutes, when the chicks had come out and were exploring a bit, she seemed to realize that she was penned up, and ran away. So... that failed. But it was worth a shot anyway.

She stays on the nest for a few hours, then gets off and acts totally normal

there are two problems.
1. She won’t commit.
2. The chicks are already two weeks old

Nope. Doesn't sound broody to me. Could be she's getting there, but not yet.
I have laying hens that have never been broody but they will give you a great growl and flatten out when on a nest. They will give you a good peck and if you hand them eggs, they will gladly take them and tuck them under ---- not broody.

You say yourself - she won't commit. That's not broody.

Sorry that your experiment failed, but also glad she didn't harm the chicks either. Some hens can kill a chick in hurry. The broody needs to have been full blown broody for at least a couple of weeks (close to 21 days is best) and the chicks need to be young (1-3 days old) - then you have a good chance of her accepting them. There's always exceptions though - chickens can be unpredictable.

Hopefully next time you will have a true broody and can have her raise chicks, I think you would enjoy watching the process of a Mama hen taking care of them - and you are right, less work on you. Chicks in a brooder inside can be fun for a few days, but then you want them outside LOL

 

[rosemarythyme]

My guess is the presence of the chicks is messing with her hormones and putting her in a semi-broody state, so she's not broody but not quite "normal" either. She may go full broody (at which point you'd need to decide if you want to let her set or to break her) or may return to a normal state.